Location: London, UK
Status: Ongoing
Sector: Healthcare
Client: University College Hospital
The University College Hospital at Bedford Passage expands on UCH and UCLH’s capacity by housing a new, independently operated Community Diagnostic Centre. The centre includes a breast clinic specifically for women, offering services for early diagnosis, mammography, ultrasound, and two MRI rooms designed for a streamlined patient experience. Located within the historical Bedford Passage estate redevelopment, this facility provides comprehensive cancer and diagnostic care within UCLH’s Central London campus.
About the project
The centre is a modern interpretation of the broader historical site and its connection to Charles Dickens, seamlessly blending with the surrounding Victorian architecture. The interior design team prioritised alleviating the stressful nature of cancer-related patient visits, creating a healing environment, especially in the naturally darker basement areas. This outpatient clinic provides a calm and welcoming space for visitors, with careful consideration of psychosocial function and aesthetics.
Our team proposed bright natural colours to lift the dark basement area, complimented by soft strip lighting and compliant medical-grade finishes to enhance hygiene and unify spaces. Artwork, such as backlit panels and wave lighting, is integrated into the design, contributing to an uplifting atmosphere that supports patient well-being; based on research studies data, nature-inspired colour schemes improve patient outcomes.
Additional insights
While the wider development preserves its heritage, a key connecting element in the Community Diagnostic Centre was the nursery rhyme tile unearthed during the site survey. Unfortunately, because it was made of lead, the decorative tile was classified as too radioactive to be retained as artwork within the building. Still, elements from the design, including the colours, influenced the interior design choices.
A major challenge was ensuring consistency and design cohesiveness in the connecting corridor located in the basement, used to access the locker rooms that are shared with a separate part of the building’s commercial users. Therefore, the medical and commercial interiors had to blend together, but maintain distinct differences to avoid wayfinding confusion.
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